News
Brigadier wins landmark FR case: Court clears way for his promotion
HRC’s position reconfirmed
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Court of Appeal has asked Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage to promote petitioner Brig. Chandana Ranaweera to the rank of Maj. Gen. with effect from 01 Jan., 2021.
The Court of Appeal bench consisting of Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Chamath Moraes has also directed that the petitioner, an officer of the Light Infantry, be paid salary, etc., he is entitled to as a Major General, with effect from that day. The ruling pertained to a fundamental rights application filed by Brigadier Ranaweera in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution.
Attorney-at-Law Namal Rajapaksa, counsel for the petitioner told The Island yesterday (07) that there had never been a previous instance of a court issuing such a directive to any other Commander of the army following an intervention made by the Human Rights Commission (HRC).
The counsel said that the HRC had received an assurance from Lt. Gen. Liyanage that once the Court of Appeal made its ruling the army would abide by it. Brig. Ranaweera now serves as the Chief Executive officer of the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa theatre.
Responding to queries, Counsel Rajapaksa said that acting on a complaint made by Brig. Ranaweera, who had served the army for a period of over 35 years, to the HRC, the latter initiated an inquiry having deemed an injustice had been caused to the officer. In his petition to the Court of Appeal, Brig. Ranaweera said that though fellow officers of intake 28 had been given promotions to the rank of Maj. Gen. beginning Nov 30, 2020, he had been denied the promotion in 2021 and 2023.
Rajapaksa noted that the Court of Appeal ruling had been given in the wake of the post of Chief of Staff being vacant since 13 Oct., 2023. The post of Deputy Chief of Staff fell vacant on 01 Dec., 2023. If the army headquarters abided by the Court of Appeal ruling, Brig. Ranaweera would automatically receive seniority among officers holding the rank of Major General.
Lt. Gen. Liyanage is due to retire on 31 Dec., 2023 unless he receives another extension.
“My client is eligible to be the next Chief of Staff,” Counsel Rajapaksa said, acknowledging the possibility of army headquarters moving the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal decision.
Among the respondents in the fundamental rights application filed by Brig. Ranaweera were Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and the then Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Channa Weerasuriya, who functioned as Chairman of Army Advisory Board (AAB) and seven other officers of the AAB.
According to a petition, the AAB on 06 Dec., 2022 dismissed ROG (Redress of Grievance) furnished by the petitioner requesting him being considered for promotion to the rank of Maj. Gen.Lawyer Rajapaksa said that his client had resorted to legal action besides moving the HRC.
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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations
President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.
Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.
[President’s Media Division (PMD)]
Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.
Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.
President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.
The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.
Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.
The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.
[President’s Media Division (PMD)]
Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.
Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.
Accordingly:
1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.
2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.
3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.
4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.
5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).
6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.
7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.
The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.
Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.
[President’s Media Division]
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